Warrensburg Council Hears Numerous Budget Requests

The Warrensburg City Council heard budget requests from several entities at Monday night's meeting.

A total of $170,000 was requested, which was a majority of the $177,000 budgeted, according to Warrensburg Director of Finance Matthew Lue.

The lion's share of the money, $75,000, was requested by Johnson County Economic Development Corporation. All of the requests were granted by Council.

A wage and benefit report was presented by Rebecca Crowder of the Austin Peters Group. The goal of the study was to move Warrensburg from the 40th percentile in a group of 20 similar communities, to the 50th percentile to make the City more competitive. The base cost to do that was estimated at $390,000. That figure increases to $500,000 with all the fringe benefits included, Crowder said. City Administrator Harold Stewart added that he would like to eventually see Warrensburg move into the 60th percentile.

The Council approved the purchase of tasers for the Warrensburg Police Department at a cost of $7,000 per year for five years.

The expenditure had a revenue off-set with the expectation that the police department would be able to find and receive grant funding for the purchase.

“Unfortunately, I have been unable to even identify a program that provides funding for ECD’s,” said Police Chief Rich Lockhart.

“Many of the generic grants that are available for equipment specifically mention ECD’s as a non-qualifying piece of equipment. ECD’s are an important piece of equipment for an officer to have when confronting a combative subject. Equipping officers with ECD’s will enhance their safety in confrontational situations.” Lockhard concluded.

Council also approved the suspension of an open container law for the hours of 5 – 11 p.m. Aug. 24 for an Outdoor Summer Concert on Pine Street. Warrensburg Main Street is the sponsoring organization for the event.

Main Street organization will work with the Police Chief and Public Works to secure the area with barricades set up at all entry points to the open container area. Main Street Board Members and volunteers will be positioned at all entry points and wrist bands placed on everyone that possesses alcohol to ensure compliance, it was noted by Chief Lockhart.

Warrensburg Mayor Danielle Johnston later presented a long list of appointments to nearly a dozen various boards and commissions.

The one hour, 45-minute meeting concluded with reports from the City Manager and Director of Finance.